Dalcahue Travel Guide

If you are visiting Dalcahue and want to try local speciality, make sure you visit the restaurant over the harbour (1st floor) and order curanto, traditional food of Chiloe Island. It consists of shellfish, meat, fish, vegetables, potatoes and, according to the tradition, should be cooked on leaves placed on red-hot stones in a hole, in a ground. Just make sure you are quite hungry or have a one portion for two, as it is served in a huge amount!

If you are heading to Dalcahue, according to my personal experience, there is no need to book some accomodation in advance as there is a plenty of hopedajes (private guest houses, hostels..). So look for a place to stay once you get there and don't hesitate to bargain a bit about the price for the room (as there's a big concurence...). Btw, I wouldn't recommend to stay there longer than one night because there's not so much to see, actually. There's that wooden church and beautiful colourful houses on pilars (called palafitos), both typical for the island of Chiloe (and because of that can also be found in other places on the island). In the case you decide to see them in this nice small village, one day is absolutely sufficient. There's also a nice small port full of colourful fishermen's boats and a street market with traditional products from Chiloe (woolen clothes, dolls, etc.; earings; ...). Dalcahue is easily accessable by bus from Puerto Montt.